Arabic Civilization & Culture

Catalog description

This course aims to give an overview of the Civilization and Culture of the Arab people, starting with the advent of Islam-we will, nevertheless, examine pre-Islamic Arabic societies-and continuing through the present. A selection of texts-print and electronic in English-dealing with and pertaining to different aspects and areas of Arabic life, civilization and culture, will be read and discussed. These texts have been selected with the intent to compare and analyze approaches in those written by Arabic writers and those written by non-Arabic writers. Among the topics to be covered are-but not limited to: The origins of the Arabs; pre-Islamic Arab society; Arab-Islamic society and the Islamic Empire; Arab culture and its contribution to world culture; Baghdad and Cordoba; Arabic Africa; Some causes of decadence and fall of the Arab-Islamic Empire; Western Infiltration and Colonialism (18-20 C); “Independence” and the creation of Nation-States. We will also analyze and discuss modern post-colonial concerns and problems and challenges that the area has confronted in the wake of neo colonialism. This course is offered in the fall.